Posted by Paul Wernick in mexican, restaurant review on July 19, 2007 at 2:29 pm
El Sol Restaurant and Galleria
1448 Danforth Avenue
416-405-8074
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and beer: $40
Authentic Mexican? The place is filled with the aroma of cumin and chile. Mariachi music blares from the stereo. After a lengthy explanation of my desires, Ernesto closes his note pad and replies “No habla Inglese” before storming away. Ernesto is my latest psychoanalyst.
Caveat emptor I guess. And the session wasn’t a total loss. I find the phrase “No habla Inglese” is useful in dealing with telephone solicitors and my wife. It also provoked a craving for Mexican food which I satisfied at nearby El Sol Restaurant and Galleria.
The most conspicuous feature of El Sol – The Sun – is its suns: scores of suns crafted from coconut shells, hanging from the wall, brightly painted and smiling. I ask the waitress about the significance of these carvings. She says she’s not sure but she knows that her ancestors venerated the sun. Indeed they did. Aztecs used to offer the beating hearts of their prisoners to it. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
El Sol, run by the brother and sister team of Golanzo and Yolanda Paez doubles as a galleria. A great deal of Mexican folk art is displayed for sale, especially masks, which have been used in Mexican dances and ceremonies for thousands of years. An intricate Tree of Life dominates one wall. Trees of Life are ceramic sculptures depicting significant biblical or personal events. I consider making one myself as way of overcoming the language barrier with my psychiatrist. El Sol offers a lot to fill the eye before the food finally arrives.
I had heard El Sol has a reputation for slow service. That’s never bothered me. I assume, perhaps naively, that if the food takes a while to come, it hasn’t originated from a can, a freezer or a microwave. As a matter of fact, the chile relleno, which is red pepper filled with ground beef, green olives, potatoes, carrots and raisins ($14.95), requires 24-hour notice. I consider buying a blanket from the restaurant store, ordering a few pitchers of sangria with the chile, and staying the night.
My sincronizodas al comal arrives in good time, however. Sincronizodas ($11.95) are a sort of tortilla sandwich made in a comal - the traditional Mexican cast iron frying pan. Mine is filled with machaca (shredded beef), potatoes, mushrooms and cheese. Chicken, chorizo or vegetarian are options, as they are for the empanadas, a stuffed pastry which is often eaten at breakfast in Mexico.
While El Sol does make tacos and antijitos (appetizers) that most Torontonians identify with Mexican food, I recommend exploring more exotic fare like pollo en mole – chicken breast sautéed in chocolate and dozens of spices.
I regret I didn’t try the pozole, a traditional soup or stew made from corn grain with meat, chile and a host of other seasonings. This ancient meal pre-dates the arrival of the Conquistadors in Mexico; it’s authentic Aztec grub. Oh, and how about a cactus salad? Don’t worry there aren’t any thorns.
The food at El Sol would not be described as ethereal: all that cheese, potatoes, beans and fat. But no one leaves here hungry. I requested a take-out container so I could share my leftovers with my analyst. I’ve even learned a little Spanish from the menu which should facilitate our future encounters. Authentic Mexican? Es muy bueno.
